John Harrity, Harrity Team

John Harrity Speaks About Successful Diversity Initiatives at ALA Diversity Panel

On June 15, 2017, John Harrity, Managing Partner and Diversity Partner of Harrity & Harrity, spoke on a diversity panel hosted by the Association of Legal Administrators. Mauricio Velasquez, of Diversity Training Group, began the program with a presentation on the importance of diversity and inclusion in the legal field, and lack thereof.

Kendal Tyre, Partner at Nixon Peabody, discussed diversity initiatives within his firm.  At Nixon Peabody, associates, partners, and support staff, are expected to commit 40 hours annually to diversity initiatives.  Diversity initiatives can include meeting with an affinity group, attending diversity seminars, and attending recruiting functions.  These practices can improve firm morale and maintain a positive culture at the firm.

John Harrity’s presentation focused on internal diversity initiatives and the results that the firm has seen since their launch in 2015.  Despite having a diverse support staff, it is difficult to recruit women and minority patent attorneys.  To change this, Harrity & Harrity has taken the following steps to recruit women and minorities. The first step was initiating the Rooney Rule 2.0. The Rooney Rule 2.0 means that we are committed to interviewing a female or minority candidate for every male, non-minority candidate we interview for any position at our firm.  The firm began hiring for reduced hours and remote work positions.  The firm also started a 1L Diversity Fellowship in 2016 and launched the first Diversity Summer Workshop in 2017.

Since the launch of our diversity initiatives in 2015, Harrity & Harrity has hired seven new attorneys, four of whom are considered diverse by the EEOC Diversity Scorecard.  Across the firm as a whole, there have been 18 new hires in the past two years, 12 of whom are considered diverse.

John Harrity says of the seminar, “This was a great opportunity to not only talk about our diversity initiatives, but to share ideas and learn new skills from other firms, as well.  I strongly believe that cultivating a highly diverse firm is one of the keys to success, and I look forward to working towards this goal.”

Harrity Diversity Workshop National's Game

Harrity & Harrity Launches it’s First Annual Diversity Summer Workshop

Harrity & Harrity wrapped up the 2017 Harrity Diversity Summer Workshop on Friday, May 26.  The workshop brought together ten engineering students, law students, and recent law school graduates to learn the skills involved in being a patent attorney.  During the workshop, participants had an opportunity to learn about patent preparation and patent prosecution, as well as receive mentorship from associates and partners at Harrity & Harrity.

Participants also had opportunities to hear perspectives from attorneys in other positions throughout the country.  Teresa Rea, former acting director of the USPTO, met with participants and provided advice about forging a career as a patent attorney, balancing life and work, and government service.  Similarly, Allen Lo, Deputy General Counsel for Patents at Google, and Courtney Holohan, Chief IP Counsel at Accenture, gave tips for succeeding as an attorney and navigating career paths and opportunities.  Participants ended the week receiving hands on advice on crafting their resumes and cover letters, practicing mock interview skills, and traveling with Harrity & Harrity attorneys and support staff to see a Washington Nationals game.

Sandra Maxey, Chief Diversity Officer, says of the workshop, “This week was an incredible success, and we hope to start looking for participants for our 2018 workshop soon to help diverse students with an interest in the patent field gain the skills to succeed as private practice attorneys, patent examiners, and in-house counsel.”

Kenneth Hartmann Harrity Team

Kenneth Hartmann Joins Harrity & Harrity

Kenneth Hartmann has joined the firm as an Associate. He brings with him more than 10 years of experience in the patent field. Ken specializes in patent preparation and patent prosecution of electrical, electromechanical, and software technologies. He also has experience in portfolio analysis, validity and invalidity analysis, infringement analysis, and clearance opinions.
Prior to joining Harrity & Harrity, he worked in house at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. He also worked as a Patent Examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Learn more about Ken and the rest of the Harrity & Harrity team HERE.

Harrity IAM Patent 1000

IAM Patent 1000 2017 Recognizes Harrity & Harrity For Patent Prosecution

For the third year in a row, Harrity & Harrity has been named an IAM Patent 1000 Recommended Firm for Patent Prosecution.

Distinguished by the most exacting standards of quality, Harrity & Harrity is a prime pick for companies seeking to obtain patents that will stand the test of time and push their commercial agenda. Whether through training on the customer-facing aspects of legal practice or exploring innovative new approaches to data analytics, the set always goes the extra mile to exceed expectations. The architects of one of the most thorough second-attorney-review policies in the patent business and a uniform writing style that leaves no gaps while promoting efficiency, John Harrity and Paul Harrity are clever prosecution minds with a growing fan base among blue-chips. They have promoted a very proactive, team-oriented approach to account management, so customers can always get 100% attention from someone who knows their technology, business and portfolio.”

IAM 1000